The impact of boron hybridisation on photocatalytic processes

Recently the fruitful merger of organoboron chemistry and photocatalysis has come to the forefront of organic synthesis resulting in the development of new technologies to access complex (non)borylated frameworks. Central to the success of this combination is control of boron hybridisation. Contingent on the photoactivation mode, boron as its neutral planar form or tetrahedral boronate can be used to regulate reactivity. This minireview highlights the current state of the art in photocatalytic processes utilising organoboron compounds paying particular attention to the role of boron hybridisation for the target transformation

Atmospheric Pressure Non-thermal Plasma for Air Purification: Ions and Ionic Reactions Induced by dc+ Corona Discharges in Air Contaminated with Acetone and Methanol

Atmospheric pressure mass spectrometry (APCI-MS) was used to investigate the positive ions in air containing acetone (A), methanol (M) and mixtures thereof (A + M), subjected to +dc corona discharges. The results of experiments with isotopically labelled analogues, perdeuterated acetone Adeu and methanol Mdeu, and relevant thermochemical data found in the literature allowed us to identify the main ionic reactions occurring in single component systems (A or M) and in binary mixtures (A + M). It is concluded that, thanks to its significantly higher proton affinity, A is very efficient in quenching M-derived ions at atmospheric pressure. These conclusions provide a rationale for interpreting the results of a parallel investigation on the reciprocal effects of M and A when treated together in air at atmospheric pressure with +dc corona in a non-thermal plasma reactor developed previously in our laboratory. Specifically, we observed a marked drop in the degradation efficiency of methanol when it was treated in the presence of an equivalent amount of acetone. This effect is attributed to acetone interfering with ion-initiated degradation processes of methanol, and supports the conclusion\ua0that ions and ionic reactions are important in dc+ corona induced oxidation of volatile organic pollutants in air

Tourism, natural protected areas and open source geospatial technologies.

The Covid-19 outbreak has greatly impacted society behaviours fostering proximity tourism and valorising the social role of peri-urban natural protected areas as key locations for outdoor activities. FOSS and FOSS4G can play a critical role to support the value creation for these sites. This work evaluates its application in the context of two different protected areas for the creation of 3D digital products, the monitoring of touristic fluxes and the conduction of parks management activities. To this aim three solutions that copes with the mentioned aspects are presented and gaps, weakness and limitations evaluated. The investigated solutions consists in: the data workflow from survey to 3D rendering using Blender and GIS plugin; the touristic fluxes monitoring system based on a machine learning algorithm for image recognition from captured video data streams and istSOS; and finally the park assets management system which is based on PostGIS and OpenLayers

Correlations between Activity and Blood Pressure in African American Women and Girls

Is the level of physical activity recommended by the Surgeon General enough to elicit the beneficial effects of exercise on blood pressure in African American women and girls? This study investigated self-reported physical activity level and its relationship to blood pressure in a population of African American women (N=25) between the ages of 21 and 53 years and girls (N=52) between the ages of 5 and 17 years, in Dayton, Ohio, USA. Physical activity levels were estimated by an interviewer-administered questionnaire, which determined the average hours per week over the past year spent in occupational and leisure activities. Blood pressure was also measured. 56% of the women had average physical activity levels of 3.7 MET-hours per week, and 73% of the girls had average physical activity levels of 3.9 MET-hours per week compared to the Surgeon General’s recommendation of 7.5-15 MET-hours per week. Inverse correlations between self-reported physical activity level and systolic and diastolic blood pressures were statistically significant in some but not all of the groups. These data suggest that increasing physical activity levels should be considered as part of an intervention program for African American women to control systolic and diastolic blood pressures

Efficiency, products and mechanisms of ethyl acetate oxidative degradation in air non-thermal plasma

Ethyl acetate (EA) is a popular solvent and diluent in many products and one of the most ubiquitous organic pollutants of indoor air. Although EA's ascertained toxicity is classified as low, exposure to its vapors at concentrations 400 ppm causes serious problems in humans. EA is thus a frequent target in testing novel technologies for air purification. We report here an investigation of EA oxidative degradation in air at room temperature and atmospheric pressure induced by corona discharges. Three corona regimes, dc-, dc+ and pulsed +, were tested in the same reactor under various experimental conditions with regard to EA initial concentration (C 0) and the presence of humidity in the system. The EA degradation process was monitored by gas chromatography (GC)-flame ionization detection, GC-mass spectrometry and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy analysis of the treated gas. These analyses yielded the concentration of residual EA (C) and those of its major products of oxidation (CO2, CO) and revealed a few organic reaction intermediates formed along the oxidation chain. The process energy efficiency was determined as energy constant, k E (kJ-1 l) and as energy yield, EY (g kW-1 h-1). The efficiency depends on the type of corona (pulsed + >dc- >dc+), on the presence of humidity in the air (improvement in the case of dc-, little or no effect for dc+) and on C 0 (k E increases linearly with 1/C 0). CO2 and CO were the major carbon containing products, confirming the strong oxidizing power of air non-thermal plasma. Acetic acid and acetaldehyde were detected in very small amounts as reaction intermediates. The experimental results obtained in this work support the conclusion that different reactive species are involved in the initial step of EA oxidation in the case of dc- and dc+ corona air non-thermal plasma

Comment on "water-Soluble Fluorescent Probe with Dual Mitochondria/Lysosome Targetability for Selective Superoxide Detection in Live Cells and in Zebrafish Embryos"

Recently, a new water-soluble, fluorescein-based probe for the detection of superoxide radical anion in aqueous media was developed by Lu et al. (ACS Sens. 2018, 3, 59-64). The probe was proven to be selective for superoxide and was used successfully also in cells and zebrafish embryos. To characterize the response of the probe to superoxide, Lu et al. used KO2 dissolved in deionized water as a surrogate. In testing this probe in different applications, we repeated some of these experiments and came to realize that the fluorescence signal observed by the Authors in their experiments with KO2 was incorrectly attributed to the reaction of the probe with superoxide and is due instead to its reactions with HO- and HO2-. We show that indeed under the conditions used in these assays KO2 undergoes very fast reaction with water to form HO- and HO2-. On the other hand, by using a proper surrogate, namely, KO2 dissolved in DMSO, and spin trapping experiments, we confirmed the ability of the probe to detect superoxide

Functional neurological disorders as seen by a cohort of general practitioners in northern italy: Evidence from an online survey

General practitioners (GPs) provide primary care and advise their patients on which diagnostic and therapeutic pathways they judge most appropriate. For patients with functional neurological disorders (FND), receiving a proper explanation of diagnosis by their GP from the very beginning may drastically improve prognosis. Novel approaches to the diagnosis and treatment of FND have important implications for effective management. The aim of this study was to investigate Italian GP opinion and knowledge about FND in light of new approaches to the illness. To do this, we evaluated the responses to a 13-item web-based survey completed by 133 GPs practicing in northern Italy. Psychological terms to describe FND were more frequently used than functional neurological disorder and mental illness was considered an important predictor of diagnosis. Referral to a neurologist rather than to a psychiatrist was largely preferred, while physiotherapy consultation was seldom recognized as a valuable approach to treating FND. Overall, the survey findings suggest that knowledge about novel approaches to FND is somewhat lacking. Currently, GPs appear to be transitioning from a classical psychological view of the disorder toward a more modern conceptualization, in which neurobiological, psychological, and social factors all play an important role. Professional education during this transition would be an advantageous way to optimize physician management of FND and to enhance diagnosis, explanation, and management across primary and secondary care pathways

Thyroid nodules treated with percutaneous radiofrequency thermal ablation: a comparative study

Percutaneous radiofrequency thermal ablation (RTA) was reported as an effective tool for the management of thyroid nodules (TNs). The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of RTA and to establish whether they were treatment-related by comparison with a matched, untreated control group

Kinetics and Products of Air Plasma Induced Oxidation in Water of Imidacloprid and Thiamethoxam Treated Individually and in Mixture

Imidacloprid (I) and thiamethoxam (T) are widely used neonicotinoid insecticides with high persistence in the environment and thus included in the watch list of substances for European Union-wide monitoring reported in the Decision 2015/495/EU. In this work aqueous solutions of I, T and I + T were subjected to advanced oxidation by air plasma produced by negative DC corona discharges above the liquid surface. The oxidative degradation of each pollutant was investigated by monitoring the rate and the products of its decay when treated alone and in the presence of variable amounts of the other compound. The results show that both I and T are readily degraded and that mineralization can be achieved in this process, as proven by the measurement of the residual organic carbon and by the quantitative conversion of chlorine and sulfur into inorganic chloride and sulfate, respectively. The major organic intermediates formed during the complex stepwise oxidation of I and T were identified and monitored by HPLC\u2013MS/MS analysis. The results of kinetic studies show that both for I and T the reaction rate depends inversely on the insecticide initial concentration, that I and T have similar reactivities and that they do not interfere reciprocally in any specific way when treated in mixture at a total concentration of ca 1 7 10 124 M. Based on literature data and on previous results with the same reactor, it is reasonable to propose that the oxidation of I and T is initiated by the reaction with OH radicals

Anisakis sensitization in different population groups and public health impact. A systematic review

Anisakis simplex spp. sensitization rates have increased worldwide, with a significant impact on health-care systems. To date, no clear-cut diagnostic criteria and laboratory algorithm have been established, so anisakiasis still represents an under-reported health problem whose clinical manifestations, when present, mimic the much more common allergic and digestive disorders. Aim of the study was to systematically review the available literature on the prevalence of sensitization against Anisakis in the general population and in specific population groups, taking into account the impact of the different available diagnostic techniques on the epidemiological data. Following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) statement, relevant papers reporting Anisakis sensitization epidemiological data were found covering a period ranging from 1996 to February 2017. Overall, 41 studies comprising 31,701 participants from eleven countries were included in the qualitative synthesis. General asymptomatic population resulted sensitized to Anisakis in 0.4 to 27.4% of cases detected by means of indirect ELISA or ImmunoCAP specific IgE detection, and between 6.6% and 19.6% of the samples by Skin prick test (SPT). Occupationally exposed workers (fishermen, fishmongers and workers of fish-processing industries) documented specific IgE between 11.7% and 50% of cases, whereas SPT positivity ranged between 8% and 46.4%. Symptomatic allergic patients to any kind of allergen were found to be positive to Anisakis specific IgE detection between 0.0% (in children with mastocytosis) to 81.3% (among adults with shellfish allergy). Results highlighted that hypersensitivity prevalence estimates varied widely according to geographical area, characteristics of the population studied, diagnostic criteria and laboratory assays. Further studies are needed to overcome the documented misdiagnosis by improving the diagnostic approach and, consequently, providing more affordable estimates in order to address public health interventions on populations at high risk of exposure to Anisakis and to tailor health services related to specific groups